Dede Scozzafava, the woman who has become the symbol of moderate Republicanism, is taking a shot at former Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin.

Washington (CNN) – Dede Scozzafava, the woman who has become the symbol of moderate Republicanism, is taking a shot at former Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin, the woman who has become the darling of the Republican Party's conservative grassroots.

In a new interview, the state assemblywoman also lets loose on former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who chose to endorse Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman over Scozzafava, her party's official nominee, in the closely-watched race in New York's 23rd congressional district.

The Hoffman campaign and many of his supporters targeted Scozzafava on some of her more moderate views, particularly on social issues.

The growing conservative support for Hoffman, including the endorsements from Palin and other prominent conservatives, eventually led Scozzafava - who had been hand-picked by local party leaders - to drop out of the race just days before Election Day.

"How can Sarah Palin come out and endorse someone who can't answer some basic questions?" Scozzafava told the Washington Post. "Do these people even know who they are endorsing?"

In the interview, Scozzafava - who ended up backing the race's victor, Democrat Bill Owens - sounded a bitter note about how she was treated by members of her own party.

"It was organized," Scozzafava told the Post about the attacks against her by Palin, other prominent conservative figures, and conservative advocacy groups. "There is a lot of us who consider ourselves Republicans, of the Party of Lincoln. If they don't want us with them, we're going to work against them."

How stupid are they? Ultra right-wing conservatives won't be elected by regular Americans. Do they want to give the country to the Democrats...?

November 10, 2009 05:50 pm at 5:50 pm |

Bob

Its funny what happens when you have a terrible public education. The masses are easily fooled by political snake oil salesmen. The USA is in a sad sad state...

November 10, 2009 05:51 pm at 5:51 pm |

Kate

The GOP is being divided by Palin and her stooges, her SO FAR OUT THERE CONSERVATIVE RIGHT WING HYPOCRITS.......she will bring down the Republican party and you Republicans are either to stupid to stop her or you just done care anymore.......but this does prove one thing, if you don't think like the conservative people in this party then there is NO ROOM FOR YOU IN THE GOP

November 10, 2009 05:53 pm at 5:53 pm |

Conspunk

What a joke this article is. Dede Scozzafava is a symbol of a moderate Republican?????? Says who???? She was endorsed by Daily Kos. They didn't even endorse the Democrat!!!!! And then Scozzafava endorsed the Democrat!!!!

No wonder CNN is in the Toilet!!

November 10, 2009 05:54 pm at 5:54 pm |

Mickey

If the Republicans think Sarah the Quitter and Joe the Plumber are the new face of the GOP, they have problems alright...problems with HAIR on them.

GOP: Evolve or die...

November 10, 2009 05:55 pm at 5:55 pm |

Bernard

Just a hurt ego lashing out. Scozzafava is not a republican and she showed how much of a sore loser she is when she endorsed the democrat candidate. The GOP does not need traitors like her. She did not have to dump on Hoffman either. Please show some dignity MS. Scozzafava.

November 10, 2009 05:56 pm at 5:56 pm |

Michael, Gallatin, TN

It is time for all good Democrats to register as Republicans and help save the GOP.

November 10, 2009 05:57 pm at 5:57 pm |

Diggity

Why does CNN have to bash Palin every other day? Seriously, she isn't in the news anywhere else except when CNN feels like bashing her for some reason.

November 10, 2009 05:57 pm at 5:57 pm |

David

Ms. Scozzafava presumably has a lot more going for her than the outside agitators who blindsided her. Putting wacko-ness aside, for every 100 GOP roustabouts there's perhaps one individual with integrity. This situation reminds me of Pete Domenici `doing in' David Iglesias because the latter wouldn't use his role as Federal Prosecutor in a sufficiently partisan fashion. Pete had no notion that politics stops shy of where justice begins. Exit, stage right, one of the few, one of the brightest stars of the GOP. Et tu Brutus?

November 10, 2009 05:57 pm at 5:57 pm |

Aspen Professor

"It was organized," Scozzafava told the Post about the attacks against her by Palin, other prominent conservative figures, and conservative advocacy groups. "There is a lot of us who consider ourselves Republicans, of the Party of Lincoln. If they don't want us with them, we're going to work against them."

The right-wing liars and hypocrits who control the Republican Party DO NOT WANT moderates in the Party. They want to control the minds(???) of the extremists. They are small in number but HUGE in voice via the FOX Channel.

Sadly, the more they yell and scream at the bought and paid for meetings, the more the dim-witted fools will think they represent the majority of Americans.

FIGHT BACK AMERICA!

November 10, 2009 05:57 pm at 5:57 pm |

Toby

This NY district is a bastion of Democratic control. The Republicans had a chance to move it to the right with Dede Scozzafava. The local GOP knew that. However, the national Taliban Republicans balked and chose to keep it Democratic. Sarah Palin, the best friend a Democrat can have.

November 10, 2009 05:58 pm at 5:58 pm |

voreason

Well, this is refreshing.

If the Republican party truly became the party of Lincoln again, that would be truly revolutionary.

It is, however, not likely to happen. The Republican party is in the process of shrinking into a shrill irrelevance. And, I hate say it, but that is too bad. Before Nixon and Reagan, there were a lot of moderates in the Republican party - people who supported the civil rights act of 1965, people who opposed the war in Vietnam.

Well, I for one am content to watch them now shred one another. We certainly live in interesting times.

November 10, 2009 05:59 pm at 5:59 pm |

Gary

I think Sara needs to point out more true Republicans. The GOP is going down like the WHIG party. Do you suppose someone went around and Identified who the real Whigs were?

November 10, 2009 05:59 pm at 5:59 pm |

Repubocrat

Did Scozzafava know she was endorsing?

November 10, 2009 05:59 pm at 5:59 pm |

Lou

Palin is suuuuch old news. Everyone knows that when her lips start flapping, bad things follow. Just look at everything she has done up until now. Nothing has turned out good for her except she is now making money. I hope her money will make her happy because that is all she will ever achieve.

November 10, 2009 10:01 pm at 10:01 pm |

Bob

Can somebody please define "extremist" for me? I believe in personal freedom, a limited government that lives within its means like I do, that a free market works better than socialism, that babies are a gift from God and not an inconvenience, and that our constitution and bill of rights mean what they say. So according to most of the postings here, I am a right wing "extremist" and must be stopped. I am indeed looking for somebody in any political party to represent my beliefs, and for the most part neither party is doing it. For right now, I hold my nose and vote republican. As for Sarah Palin, I think she is trying to represent people like me – just not doing a terribly good job of it.

November 10, 2009 10:05 pm at 10:05 pm |

windrider

She quit three colleges four times before getting an easy degree in Mass Communications, to become a sports reporter.

She quit Wasilla Council to run for Mayor.

She quit as Wasilla Mayor to run for Lt. Governor.

She quit the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission to run for governor.

She quit as Governor to run around the country selling books and poking her nose into other people's elections.

If Sarah Palin represents the GOP's new leadership, I feel sorry for all those Republicans who took pride in being the party of Lincoln. And I feel sorry for the Dede Scozzafava's who are about to be lynched and betrayed by their own party.

November 10, 2009 10:11 pm at 10:11 pm |

New Yorker

CORRECTION: Dede is not the symbol of moderate Republicanism. That is simply a lie. She is liberal and THAT is why Hoffman stands a good chance of winning the House seat in 2010 should he choose to be a candidate. People in the 23rd District are mad as hell because she threw her support to Owens. She's through.

November 10, 2009 10:18 pm at 10:18 pm |

Switch

Scozzafava = sour grapes. She brought it on herself. She shouldn't even claim to be a Republican she's so far left

November 10, 2009 10:20 pm at 10:20 pm |

Marie Laveaux

To answer Ms. Scozzafva's question, I would have to say that Palin was only endorsing someone just like herself: that is, someone who cannot answer some basic questions like what kind of books she reads.

November 10, 2009 10:28 pm at 10:28 pm |

Minnesotan

Scozzafava:1; Palin: -10

November 10, 2009 10:41 pm at 10:41 pm |

billy123

Thank goodness their somebody in the GOP to take on the extrem Right Wing!

November 10, 2009 10:47 pm at 10:47 pm |

J.V.Hodgson

Palin and the republican party leadership should be ashamed of themselves. This backing of Hoffman showed a complete disregard for the views of local party members and that is disgusting... glad they lost, might teach the Party leaders a lesson in Democracy as opposed to paternalism. i.e one of our own believers is who gets support.
Regards,
Hodgson.

November 10, 2009 11:28 pm at 11:28 pm |

George Guadiane - Austerlitz, NY

Ms Scozzafava is learning what (I THINK) most of us have known for at least a decade:
Self serving, self righteous, self absorbed, self important, self appointed, ULTRA "Right" wingers have the right, NO, the OBLIGATION to make sure that they, their operatives and their ideas/"ideals" are instilled.
George W. Bush eviscerated John McCain with LIES and misrepresentations about Mr McCain, and even questioned his patriotism... I no longer agree with Senator McCain's politics, for the most part, but I appreciate his patriotism, and would NEVER question his Love of Country.
"Those" Republicans throw ANYONE who doesn't agree with them or meet their standards under the buss. What they did to you Ms Scozzafava was STUPIDITY of the highest order and another example of what the Republican has become and intends to stay as.